Signs of PM's downfall seen on tv talk-show

Finally, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej avoided discussing politics during his weekly TV appearance yesterday. It wasn't hard to see why, as the domestic controversy over the Preah Vihear Temple has led to high tension at the border and the long-running political stand-off between the pro- and anti-government movements resulted in the first outbreak of violence last week. The clashes in Udon Thani, which resulted in many injuries, means the line has been crossed, and the fragile peace, which had held out all through the political divide, has been broken.

But Samak, exploring the issue of Thai language during his normally belligerent TV talk,was at best absurd and at worst pathetic. It tells a lot about the state he is in. And it tells us more about the state the country he is supposed to lead is in.

We knew from Day One that Samak would be a big part of the problem because he declared in no uncertain terms while running for office that he was a "nominee" of Thaksin Shinawatra and would do everything to ensure "justice" for the latter. Yet we maintained some small measure of hope after he won the election that he would better understand the greater duties of his office. We prayed that the popular mandate wouldn't once again be misinterpreted. We should have known better.

Like his "master" before him, Samak quickly turned an election win into a tool to defend the indefensible. Taking the helm of a nation bitterly divided over political morals and besieged with economic threats locally and internationally, he not only chose the wrong priority, but also displayed extreme prejudice in doing so.

With all economic and social issues taking a back seat, Samak began his reign by provoking new street protests with an announcement that his government would amend the Constitution in order to "better" Thai politics. Things have been going downhill ever since and the Udon Thani clashes might be only the beginning of something much worse.

What has Samak done, as Thais are poised to harm or even kill each other over what should be or should not be defined as corruption, election mandate or dictatorship? He insisted that the Constitution would have to be amended, and went on to discuss the use of Thai language on TV. With all controversial issues getting their rare opportunity to be judged in the courts of law - instead of being politicised in the streets or exploited by the military - his people have tried to discredit or weaken the judiciary, the only institution maintaining a semblance of a functioning political system here.

Here is a leader wearing the wrong hat to disastrous effect. Samak has alienated the other half of the country simply because his government is acting as if the future of his master Thaksin, and those of questionable People Power Party executives, are more important than that of Thailand. We are having a befuddled leader who assumes that the main job of the chief executive is to scold critics week in and week out on TV, an obsession that has become so big that when his compatriots are at each other's throats, he has no neutrality left to function as the country's real prime minister.

Samak has left himself no room for a U-turn. Now he cannot condemn the use of violence by government supporters who stormed the rally site of unarmed anti-government demonstrators. Maybe he decided to talk about the Thai language yesterday because after all that happened in Udon Thani, it could be too soon to re-launch his normal broadsides against the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD). When he thinks it is safe again to discuss the PAD on TV, it will be interesting to see how he weighs the movement's "nuisance" factor and the threats of violence posed by pro-government protesters.

 We have given Samak his fair share of our sympathy. Leading a divisive nation and being perceived as leaning toward one side is not easy. But he also has himself to blame because in fact he had declared his partisanship from the very beginning and his political agenda was obviously not meant to advance national interests. Whether he realises it or not, his downfall is looming, with the biggest telltale sign being his reluctance to address the nation politically when it mattered most.